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    Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

    Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Announces Revitalized Marker Program

    November 20, 2024
    The Piper Aviation Museum celebrated the dedication of the Piper Aircraft Corporation historical marker. The Piper Aviation Museum celebrated the dedication of the Piper Aircraft Corporation historical marker. Photo from PA SHPO files.

    Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) announced today the return of its historical marker program, a vital tool for preserving and sharing the Commonwealth’s rich heritage with millions of Pennsylvanians and visitors across the Commonwealth.

    For nearly eighty years, PHMC's historical markers have commemorated significant people, places, and events that have shaped Pennsylvania’s history through a community-driven nomination process.

    As part of the program’s return, PHMC made several enhancements to the marker nomination process – including a more streamlined application, an improved evaluation process by external reviewers, and an optional pre-application process to assist new applicants in determining the viability of their nominations in consultation with PHMC staff.

    “I am pleased to announce that the Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program is returning this November with the reopening of the application process,” said PHMC Executive Director Andrea Lowery. “This is our most public program. With more than 2,500 markers, broad audiences encounter stories of our shared history throughout the Commonwealth, whether in an urban area or traveling along a country road or walking in a park. These markers represent the stories of all Pennsylvanians, and we look to the public to share the history they know and value that has helped shape the Commonwealth today. The modified application process will streamline nominations and make the program more accessible to all who are interested in participating.”

    Additional details of the new historical marker program are available on the PA State Historic Preservation Office blog, and a video series on PHMC’s YouTube channel will explain the new process. Final applications for the first round of new markers are due April 1, 2025, with the first of the new markers being cast and installed in 2026.

    Nominations for historical markers may be submitted by any individual or organization and are evaluated by a panel of independent experts from throughout the state and approved by the agency's commissioners. More information on the Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program, including application guidelines, is available online at www.PAHistoricalMarkers.com.

    The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Learn more by visiting PHMC online or following us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram or LinkedIn.